G5 howitzer
 | G5 howitzer |
|
| G5 |
| Country Of Origin: | South Africa |
| Designation: | 155mm towed Howitzer |
| Manufacturer: | Denel |
| Height: | 9.1 m |
| Length: | 2.3 m |
| Weight: | 13.75 |
| Crew: | 8 |
| Max Fire Range: | 39,000 m |
The
G5 is a
South African towed
howitzer produced by
Denel. Initial versions of it were based on the 45-calibre
GC-45 howitzer designed by
Gerald Bull, though it has gone through many modifications and variations to reach its latest model; the 52-calibre
G5-2000.
It is mounted on a slightly-modified version of a towed chassis design by
NORICUM, which also includes a small
APU to allow it to dig itself in and move short distances at up to 16 km/h. Using the normal Extended Range, Full Bore ammunition the normal range is 39 km, which can be extended to about 53km with the use of
base bleed or rocket assisted rounds. It is regarded as one of the most potent artillery pieces on the modern battlefield.
The G5 gun has been placed on an
OMC 6x6 chassis to produce the fully self-propelled
G6 howitzer, and won major export sales in this form to the
United Arab Emirates and
Oman. In response to a request from India it has also been tested on the back of a 4x4 wheeled truck, a combination known as the
T5-2000. It has also been fitted into a turret that can be placed on any suitable vehicle. The turret is marketed as the
T6 which has already been fitted on the
T-72.
The
South African Army at the start of the
Angolan conflict was equipped with
WW2-era
artillery pieces, notable the British
25 Pounder (88mm Quick Loading gun) and 5.5 inch or 140 mm. With the help of the
Canadian scientist
Gerald Bull and his company,
Space Research Corporation they developed the
GC-45 howitzer. Deliveries of the G5 (developed from the GC-45) started in
1982.
In
2002, Denel unveiled a 52-calibre version known as the
G5-2000, which featured greatly enhanced range and accuracy over the 45-calibre version.
Variants
* G5 MkI
* G5 MkII
* G5 MkIII
* G5-2000 (52-calibre)
Operators
:
South Africa:
Israel:
Iraq *
Saddam Hussein's army operated about 100 G5's, but these have probably all been destroyed or abandoned since the
2003 invasion of Iraq.:
Iran:
Malaysia*
Angola 1982 -1987
*
Israel Bek'aa Valley 1986
*
Iran-Iraq War 1980's
*
List of artillery
